Several Taken to Hospital After Wednesday Morning Crashes

(KLIX) – Idaho State Police kept busy Wednesday morning as troopers and other emergency responders were called out to a number of crashes on Interstate 84 near Kimberly.

The crashes, which were reported shortly after 8 a.m. near milepost 182, involved drivers from Cassia County, Nampa, Utah, Washington state and Pennsylvania.

News Radio 1310 reported on the road blockages this morning, but police have since released more details about the crashes.

According to police, one crash involved Katelyn Hamby, 26, of Burley and passenger Rigoberto Alvarado, 45, of Moses Lake, Wash., who were traveling eastbound in a Dodge 2500 pickup, pulling a horse trailer.

The crash happened when a semi hauling a tanker made an improper lane change, causing Hamby to go off the left side of the roadway to avoid crashing with the semi, police said. Hamby's truck went through the median and rolled, while the trailer came unhitched and stopped in the median. The pickup, that rolled, came to rest in the westbound lanes, blocking all westbound traffic, according to police.

These weren’t the only vehicles involved in crashes on the interstate Wednesday morning.

Police said Januz Rexhepi, 54, of Nampa was driving a new Peterbilt tractor pulling triple trailers. John Goshorn, 41, of Mifflintown, Penn., and passenger, Christine Walton, 43, of Thompsontown, Penn., were traveling in a Kenworth tractor-trailer, while 52-year-old Michael Hymer of Tooele, Utah, was driving an International tractor-trailer.

Goshorn had stopped westbound on the interstate because of traffic created by the first crash, police said, but Rexhepi failed to stop and collided with the rear of Goshorn's trailer. Goshorn then crashed into the back of Hymer's trailer.

According to police, Rexhepi was taken by air ambulance to St. Alphonsus Regional Medical Center in Boise. Hamby and Alvarado were taken by ground ambulance to St. Luke's Magic Valley Medical Center in Twin Falls.

Rexhepi, Goshorn, Walton, and Hymer were wearing seat belts when the accidents happened. Hamby and Alvarado were not wearing seat belts, but a kid in Hamby's vehicle was properly secured in a child seat, police said.

Idaho State Police was assisted by Kimberly Police Department, Jerome County Sheriff's Office, Magic Valley Paramedics, Rock Creek QRU, First Segregation Fire, Air St. Luke's, and Idaho Transportation Department.

The left lane was opened this afternoon on Interstate 84.